From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Secret memo regarding the rationalized chassis program, model wheelbases, and development of senior and junior range cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\2\ scan0253 | |
| Date | 6th October 1939 | |
| also copy in this Policy file PROJECT FILE 1260 6.10.39. SECRET. Re Chassis Programme. Attached to this memo. are prints of PL.6. (2 sheets) shewing the Rationalised chassis programme up-to-date. These schemes are a revision of our original PD.392. A tabulated list of the cars on PL.6. is also attached (Sheet 1) Some of the models are duplicated e.g. the B.V. and Ripple on the 10 ft. 4 in. wheelbase occur again on the 9 ft. 8 1/2 in. wheelbase. Likewise, as previously agreed we can build the Silver Dawn four door saloon and the Cresta Saloon on the 11ft. 1 ins. wheelbase. On sheet 2 of the appendix we shew sheet 1 so modified. When we have done this, as we can do with all the pieces we now have designed, only the following models have waste room between the front wheels and the dash. Silver Wraith.* Bentlet 40. Ripplet 40. It is not possible to avoid this and retain inter-changability and avoid more than three wheelbases in the Senior range. The Junior range would appear to require only one wheelbase i.e. 9 ft. We have discovered that the Rover 10 has approx. the same room between the back of the front seats and the front of the rear seat as B.V. so the 89.5 inch dash to rear wheels of B.V. is needed. The 2.1 litre 4 cyl. 14 H.P. engine is within an inch of the same length as the 12 H.P. small four as the former has a 5 bearing crank and the latter a three. The engine length demands a dimension of 18 ins. dash to front wheels. We are making a 1/4 scale layout of this car, and also a 1/16 scale drawing for Mr. Ward. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||